Sometimes I include French words and expressions in my blog writing. For the past few months, I’ve made a commitment, albeit feeble, to “improve my French.” My method: sing in a French choir. I can read the French words and pronounce them, and with the help of the piano and the other singers, I’m able to act as if I can sing the language. But the truth is, my conversational abilities are…er…fragile. My favorite response, when asked if I speak French is “un petite peu.”

One of my own misconceptions about language fluency was that I was too old and that my brain was already wired against learning a new language. Not true, according to linguists from the University of Haifa, in Israel. Their research suggests that it’s never too late to learn a new language.

On Saturday, after my French singing gig, I searched the expression “how to learn a new language.”

After the paid results for Rosetta Stone, I found an interview with the professional polyglot, Benny Lewis. You can read his 12-step program for learning a new language here.

Based on his suggestion, I’ve made a few visits to Duolingo. It’s free and it’s fun. You can feel like you’re in kindergarten all over again.

It’s a cold day here in Maine…il fait froid, but my refrigerator is not.